Shoe heel



Feb. 5 1924. 1,482,456

T. w. BIGONEY SHOE HEEL Filed July 17 1922 INVENTOR. 33in, umw 6 m BY 7 MWWGM A TTORNEYS Patented Feb. 5, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

snon HEEL.

Application filed July 17, 1922. Serial No. 575,573.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. Bloom-1x, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadel hia, in the county of Philadelphia and fi tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe Heels, of which the following is a specification.

As is well known, the so-called rubber heels formed of a resilient composition, have gone into extensive use as a means of cushioning or lessening the shock of strikin the heel on hard pavements in the act 0 walking.

Some shoe manufacturers apply them when making the shoes, and most shoe repair shops carry them in stock for attachment upon the removal of the lower leather lifts of the heels, or in place of previously applied and worn out rubber heels. They are manufactured in only a limited number of standard sizes and shapes for the repair man, and in applying them he seldom has the exact sizes and shapes to fit all shoes. Therefore he usually finds it necessary to select a stock rubber heel of larger size or different shape from the body of the leather heel to which it is to be attached, and after attaching, to trim oil the surplus so that the sides of the rubber-heel will coincide with and form a continuation of the sides of the leather heel or body portion. It is difiicult to secure the desired smooth and accurately shaped sides by cutting, and it is generally necessary to resort to t e use of special grinding apparatus to accomplish the desired result.

The ordinary rubber heel has substantially vertical peripheral walls so that as the lower rear edge of the heel strikes the pavement, and while the heel is in a plane at an angle to the pavement, the upward pressure on this rear ed e is directly toward the rigid body of the heel, and the cushioning or shock absorbing effect is comparatively limited. Furthermore, the ressure on the rear edge does not flatten t e composition except to a very limited extent, and this comparatively narrow edge is a common cause of slipping.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a heel construction whereby a very greatly increased cushioning or shock-absorbin efl'ect is produced, and by reason of a bodi bending of a portion of the rubber heel: as distinguished from a compression and limited displacement.

A further object is to provide means whereby there is automatically formed a comparatively wide contact surface for engagement with the avement, as the rear edge of the heel strikes the latter, and to thereby materially decrease the liability of slipping.

A. further object of my invention is to provide means whereby a comparatively imited number of stock sizes may be employed to fit all sizes and shapes of shoe heels without requiring any treatment of the side walls or edges of the heel.

In carrying out my invention I employ a piece of rubber or rubber composition similar to that now commonly employed, but provide the rear portion with an extension in line with the lower surface thereof and below and beyond the rear surface of the body portion of the heel, whereby there is formed a flange which ma bodily bend to give the desired added cushioning or shock absorbing qualities and the desired increase of surface contact with the pavement when the heel is at an angle to the latter.

As a further feature the heel is rovided with a slit extending rearwardly mm the front ed e, and so formed that the portions at o posite sides of the slit may be caused to over ap to varying distances to thereby vary the width and shape of the heel and to exactly conform to the shape of the body portion of the heel ,to which the rubber heel or lift is to be applied. Thus. the only cutting or trimming which is necessary is across the front edge which is normally concealed from view, so that finishing by grinding is not essential.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention. In these drawings: 4

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the heel in inverted position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the device attached, and showing in dotted lines the position assumed by the rear portion of the heel when in use.

Fi 4 is a top plan view showing in dotted lines the position taken by the parts in adjusting the width of the heel by compressing or expanding.

ig. 5 1s a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fi 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5, but showing the heel attached, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view looking at a different angle from that of Fig. 2.

In the form illustrated my improved heel or heel lift includes a body portion of the general shape of a shoe heel and of a thickness usually approximating one-half inch. The size, proportion and material may be similar to those of other rubber heels now on the market. As one important feature of my improved device, the rear surface is provided with a rearwardly projecting flange or extension 10, the lower surface 0 which is substantially in the plane of the under surface 11 of the heel. 1 The side walls or surfaces 12, as well as the front surface 13, is substantially vertical or at right angles to the general plane of the body portion. The fiange or extension preferably has a lower portion 14 of its rear surface substantially vertical, and the upper portion 15 may also be substantially vertical, but these two surfaces 14 and 15 are displacedin respect to each other, and are shown as being connected by a compound curve 16. Thus, although the lower surface 11 of the heel projects rearwardly to a greater extent than the upper surface 17, there is no sharp line of demarcation at the upper part of the flange or extension 10. The extension projects rearwardly to the maximum extent at the rear on the center line, and decreases in width so that its edges merge into and become continuous with the vertical sides 12 of the heel.

When the heel is attached to the body portion A of a shoe or other article of foot wear, the contour of the upper surface 17 coincides with the under surface of the body of the heel, so that all of the side walls of the rub ber lift merge into the side walls of the body portion. It will be noted that the extension 10 lies beyond the rear surface of the body of the heel, so that in bringing the foot down against a hard pavement indicated by the ground line w-y of Fig. 3, the rear under edge of the extension will first strike the pavement. As pressure is applied this extension will bend upwardly as indicated in Fi 3. This bending permits of a materia ly greater downward movement of the shoe after the edge contacts with the ground than is possible with the ordinary design of rubber eel. Thus the cushioning effect is very materially greater. Furthermore, as

the flange bends upwardly it roduces an under surface of considerable width in contact with the ground, even though the plane of the heel be at an angle to the plane of the ground. This increased width of contact surface when the heel is at an angle materially reduces liability of slipping.

\Vith the construction illustrated it would be difficult for the ordinary cobbler to attach the heel to a. shoe and maintain the desired form, shape and curvature of the extension 10 if it were necessary for him to trim down the heel to fit the shoe. As a further important feature of my invention I provide means whereby this heel, or in fact any rubber heel, may be attached without necessitating trimming of the rear or side edges. As illustrated, the lift is provided with a slit 18 which extends rearwardly from the front edge 13, and in an inclined plane so as to form two overlapping sections 19 and 20. Preferably these are normallydisplaced vertically in respect to each other, as shown in Fig. 5, and the opposing surfaces are slightly concave transversely of the slit, as also shown in Fig. 5. The under surface of the outer section 20 is preferably convex lengthwise of the slit, as shown in Fig. 7.

In applying a rubber lift to a heel, the cobbler selects a stock size which is nearest to that of the heel to which the lift is to be applied. He then nails the rear center edge in place, for instance through a nail hole 22, and then adjusts the side edges of the upper surface 17 of the lift inwardly or outwardly as the case may necessitate so as to exactly coincide with the side edges of the body or leather lift portion of the shoe. As the lift is adjusted, a step at a time nails are driven in the holes 23, then the holes 24, and back to the last holes 25. The lift is thus nailed as it is adjusted and accuracy of fit is secured with an increase or decrease of the overlap of the sections 19 and 20 depending upon whether it was necessary to narrow or broaden the normal width of the heel or lift. The two superposed or overlapping sections may then be nailed together, as for instance by a nail 26. This or other equivalent securing means will force the opposing surfaces of the overlapping sections together, and due to the convexity of the under surface of the ortion 2O lengthwise of the slit, there will be a firm engagement of the surface lengthwise of the slit, and due to the concavity transversely of the slit there will be a firm engagement of the surface across the width thereof. After the heel has been secured in position, the cobbler may trim off the front edge in case the heel happens to be too long. The only trimming will be on the surface 13, which is entirely concealed from view when the shoe is in use. Thus, even though the cobbler does not do a very careful or neat job. in the trimming, it will not detract from the appearance of the shoe.

My im roved means for adjusting the width and avoiding trimming of the side and rear edges of the lift is articularly important in connection with t e novel formation of the rear side of the lift, inasmuch as it permits this edge to be properly and accurately formed and the heel attached without necessitating any trimming or alteration of said side.

In my im roved construction I take advantage of t e bending or stretching qualities of the composition not only in the bending of the flange 10 when the heel is in use, but the bending resulting from adjusting the heel to fit shoes of slightly varying sizes.

The form of the surface of the overlapping parts insures their firm engagement, particularly along the edges in order to exclude dust.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isa 1. As an article of manufacture for attachment to shoes or other foot wear, a rubber heel lift having its upper and lower surfaces disposed in parallel planes with its upper surface of a contour adapted to conform to the outline of the body portion of the heel on the shoe, the side and front walls of the lift being substantially vertical and the rear wall being downwardly and rearwardly inclined, whereby the lower surface is of substantially the same width as the g tilpper surface, but of materially greater len 2. A rubber heel lift having its u per surface of a contour adapted to con orm to the outline of the body portion of the heel on the shoe, and havin the rear edge provided with a rearwar 1y projecting flange with its under surface forming a continuation of the under surface of the body of the lift and parallel to the upper surface of the latter, and of a thickness substantiall equal to one half the thickness of the 1i and adapted to bend u wardly to lessen the shock of striking the ower rear edge on a hard surface in walking and to 've increased contact with said surface w ile the heel is at an angle to said surface.

3. A rubber heel lift having its u per surface of a contour adapted to con orm to the outline of the body portion of the heel on the shoe, and having the rear edge provided with a rearwardly projecting flange with its under surface formln a conlinuation of the under surface of t e body of the lift and parallel to the up r surface of the latter, and adapted to bend ilpwardly to lessen the shock of striking the lower rear edge on a hard surface in walking and to give increased contact with said surface while the heel is at an an le to said surface.

4. A rubber hwl lift the upper part of the rear surface thereof substantially vertical and forming a continuation of the rear surface of the body of the heel, and the lower part of the rear surface substantially vertical and rearwardly displaced and connected to the upper part of said surface by a compound curve whereby there is formed a rearwardly projecting flange adapted to bend upwardly to lessen the shock of striking the lower rear edge on a hard surface in walking and to give increased contact with said surface while the heel is at an an le to said surface.

5. A rub er heel lift for attachment to shoes or other foot wear, including a body portion provided with a slit extending rearwardly from the front edge and in an inclined lane, whereby the portions at opposite sides of the slit may be overlapped to varyin distances to vary the total width of t e lift.

6. A rubber heel lift for attachment to shoes or other foot wear, includin a body portion provided with a slit exten mg rearwardly from the front edge thereof one of the opposing surfaces 0 the slit convex in the direction of the length of the heel.

7. A rubber heel lift for attachment to shoes or other foot wear, includin a body portion provided with a slit extending rearwardly from the front edge thereof one of the opposing surfaces 0 the slit being plonpave in a direction transversely of the 8. A rubber heel lift for attachment to shoes or other foot wear, includin a body portion rovided with a slit exten ing marwardly m the front edge, and in an inclined plane, the portion at one side being normally displaced vertically in respect to the other to hold the slit open before attachment, and the ortions upon opposite sides of said slit being adapted to overla to varying distances to vary the total e fective width of the heel.

9. A rubber heel lift having a rearwardly projecting flange forming a continuation of the under surface and serving as an auxiliary shock absorbin and anti-sli ping means the body rtion of the lift ing rovided with a it extending rearwardly rom the front edge and in an inclined plane whereby the portions upon opposite sides of said slit ma .be overlapped to varyin distances, and t e heel attac ed and caused to conform to the outline of the heel of a shoe without necessitating trimming of the side or rear edges.

10. A rubber heel lift having its upper surface of a contour adapted to conform to the outline of the body port-ion of the heel on the shoe, and havin the rear edge provided with a rearward y projecting flange with its under surface forming a-continuation of the under surface and adapted to and means for varying the effective width bend upwardly to lessen the shock of strikof the lift to adapt it to varying widths ing the lower rear ed e on a hard surface of heels without necessitating trimming. 10 of the body of the lift and parallel to the Signed at Knoxville, in the county of 5 upper surface of the latter in walking and Knox and State of Tenn, this 13th day of to 've increased contact with said surface July, A. D. 1922. while the heel is at an angle to said surface, THOMAS W. BIGONEY.

Certificate pf Correction- It is hereby ce'g'tifiedwthat in Letters Patent No. 1,482,456 rented February 5, 1924,, upon the appliea tibn of Thomas W. Bigoney, of PhilarieTphia, Pennsylvania, forqn m lpl'ovement in, Shoe. Heels, an error appears in the printed specification requmng correctidn as follows: Pa e4, line 4, claimlO, strike but the words of the body Lof the'lift and aral e1 to the uppfsurfaoe of the latter? and insert the same to follow after 1: 10 word surface in line 1, same page and claim;

and that the siid Letters Patent should be read with this eormctlon therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed'ana sealed this 18th day of March, A. D., 1924.

[sun] KARL FENMNG, Acting Oomvrduiozwr of Patents. 

